Croatian Court Bans Dog From Barking

1 minute read
Croatia No Barking
Dog Medo barks in a backyard in Peroj, Croatia, Monday, Feb. 9, 2015. A fed up neighbor from a northern Croatian Adriatic village has won a temporary court order that says Medo must stop barking at night. If not, owner Anton Simunovic must pay some €2,800 ($3,160). The 3-year-old mutt, now confined in a barn between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. instead of being allowed to roam, is the only dog in Croatia slapped with a no-barking injunction. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)Darko Bandic—AP
By Laura Stampler

Dog owners might want to reconsider before relocating to northern Croatia, where a court recently gave a dog an injunction for … barking.

Medo, a 3-year-old mutt, has been given a temporary court order to stop barking between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m, the Associated Press reports. His owner’s neighbor is suing for more than $1,500 in damages, claiming that Medo’s barking has negatively impacted her health.

“He barks normally, like any dog does,” owner Anton Simunovic said. “He barks when he sees a cat, or if someone unknown comes to his territory.”

The temporary court order has prompted Simunovic to confine Medo to a barn at night. Until a court in Pula issues a final ruling, the injunction stipulates that Simunovic will be charged up to $3,160 if Medo barks at inopportune hours.

While Medo hasn’t made friends with his neighbors the pup has a strong social media solidarity movement.

Almost 43,000 people have joined Medo’s Facebook page, many of whom are posting pictures and videos of their pets barking in support:

[AP]

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